This chapter will be the last post for the next 9 - 10 days. I'm away on vacation, to enjoy the warm Grecian weather, instead of the rainy german one :)
But I hope you enjoy this little chapter, have a very good time :)

Jaime

It was one day before they would arrive at Winterfell when Jaime realized they got chased. They rode in a slow trot when he suddenly stopped.

"Brienne. We need to split up."

She stopped beside him. One look on her face told him, she'd realized too. She nodded.

"Go to Winterfell, give them the news from my sister. I will come after you."

"Jaime..."

Jaime shook his head. "You know who they are after. I wait for them, I kill them. And then I will catch up with you." He smiled at her, and she tried to smile back.

"I meet you in Winterfell, Lady Brienne. Everything will be just fine. You know that you are more important. Tell them what Cersei is about to do."

"Jaime...", she looked at him. Concerned. "Jaime, cannot fight alone. We stay. We fight together." Podrick, right behind her, nodded. "We won't leave you here. I...we can't-do that."

"Brienne...I won't kill myself. Just, I want to protect you, I want that Queen Daenerys and Jon Snow know what happens in Kingslanding."

"They will know. When you are telling them personally. We split up, but we do not leave you here on your own. Podrick and I will lie in wait and attack them when they think they're safe. I won't leave you again Jaime. Don't ever think I can do that again."

Her cheeks blushed, but she looked straight into his eyes, which burned with tears. Never, never he'd felt such strong feelings towards a woman. Yes, he felt a lot for his sister, the only woman in his life, he thought it was love but this. These feelings were compared to nothing he'd ever felt. This was love, and he wished they could spend some more time together...when the war was over.

And, what left him speechless was that Brienne seemed to feel the same. All these emotions in her eyes. God, he wished he could kiss her right now.

Instead, he agreed. He would ride north, and Brienne and Podrick would give a wide berth to attack their enemies from behind.

Brienne

It felt awkward to leave Jaime again. Even if it was for maybe half a day. She was so concerned about his state. Indeed, she was afraid that he would get killed. It didn't seem to her that Jaime wanted to fight. He seemed determined to reach the North at sometimes. At other times she didn't know what was going on in his mind. He often seemed lost in thoughts. But she wouldn't give up on him. Brienne knew he loved her, she saw it in his gaze. She would fight for him.

"Podrick," Brienne waved at him, to ride near her so that they could talk.

"If anything happens to me, make sure Jaime knows. Make sure he will travel to Tarth."

She didn't watch Podrick's face as he turned his head towards her.

"Swear it. Podrick. Make sure."

"I...I swear Milady. I will make sure that Ser Jaime knows what happened. I will make sure that he will travel to Tarth."

"Thank you Podrick. You are a man of honor."

Brienne couldn't believe that she was proud of him. Years ago she didn't want him at her side. Now she was glad that she took him with her as her squire. He still wasn't the best one, wasn't the best fighter. But he did so much for her. Brienne couldn't be more thankful.

They waited for a long time until the men came. Too much for her to kill them alone, but not enough for her, Jaime and Podrick.

Brienne and Podrick followed them. They were very fast and soon, they reached Jaime, who seemed to take a rest at a lake.

It was a hard fight.

While fighting, Brienne didn't realize that much. She saw Jaime falling, as three men attacked him at the same time. Saw Oathkeeper cutting through the fellows who attacked the one-handed man she fell in love with. Saw herself reaching her hand towards Jaime, saw him getting his sword back. Saw the men falling. They fought back to back.

Jaime realized how Brienne chopped herself through these fellows. She was an impressive warrior woman, covered in his armor and blood, handling Oathkeeper like it was light as a feather. He realized how Brienne's eyes sparkled as she helped him to come back to his feet after he fell. How beautiful she was.

He didn't know how many men they killed.

Podrick realized the first man of this army he'd killed. He was younger than him. Blonde hair and blue eyes. Covered in his own blood. He realized after, how Brienne and Jaime fought together like one man. Back to back. Saving each other with every move they made. It was like a dance as he watched them together. They were cutting through these fellows as if it was nothing. At this moment, Podrick Payn realized, these two were made for each other.

But Podrick realized too, that one man fled. The man stole a horse and galloped off as fast as he could.

Jaime

He watched Brienne as she cleaned Oathkeeper with powerful and slow moves. They had washed their faces in a small river. Everything else could wait until they reached Winterfell. But Brienne needed to clean her sword before the journey could go on.

Podrick sat down beside him. He still looked a little pale, but he did a good job in this fight.

"One man fled."

Jaime looked at him. "What?"

"One man fled during the fight. I couldn't stop him, was too far away. He headed back to the South." Podrick looked at him, full of shame, but Jaime just smiled.

"Nothing to worry about, Podrick. My sister will know, this way or another, it doesn't matter."

Jaime could feel Brienne's eyes on him, as he talked to Podrick, her movements had slow down, she was listening.

"Let's worry to come to Winterfell as fast as possible. The Queen will take care of my sister when the time has come."